Getting Bored...

The picture above doesn't really have anything to do with this post. It's just some great art I found in Williamsburg. It's tar on the sidewalk.
I'm getting really sick of not working. I'm used to staying busy. I like to be busy. I've been making up stuff for me to do during the day. I go to the library, do laundry, go to the empire state building, go to central park, ect. I spend every morning sending out resumes (usually till 1 or 2pm). Then I have to get myself out of the house. I know though, that I'll get a job and bless the day I had so much time. I'll be so busy. I'll be too busy.

The Map Library

I went to the library today. But first, I went to the wrong library. The wrong library was huge. Marble everywhere; I wouldn't be surprised if it was a historical monument. Did I mention it was giant? Googleplex giant (that's super giant). Here's the best part: It is a library entirely for maps. Every map of every thing of every where at any time. Sort of lovely isn't it? Nice to know that there is a place you can go if you wanted to be surrounded by every place on the earth, sky or sea all at once.

Then I went across the street and returned my book.

Stuff to be grateful for...
1. NYC
2. Maps
3. Marble - it never goes away, you know.
4. The way you know the universe will just figure things out.

What Mr. Oskar Schell Has Taught Me

I've been trying to be very "in the moment" lately. I'm about to get a little Woo Woo on you here...
With so many new experiences rushing over me constantly, I find it really helpful to be present. Aware of how I feel right in the exact moment. And then the next. Because everything is changing so fast - on the inside and the outside. So just taking breaths and realizing my world as it passes by and through me seems to be helpful.
I'm reading a book right now that I really adore. The main character's voice (that of a small boy who is burdened with the recent death of his father and his extreme intelligence. I love him. He never says he's sad. He says he has "heavy boots.") is really lovely. He has a book where he writes down his feelings. Constantly. He writes down a new feeling as it happens. I should start doing that.
Anyway, this is from the book and I think it's too great.
Here we go...

What if the water that came out of the shower was treated with a chemical that responded to a combination of things, like our heartbeat, and your body temperature, and your brain waves, so that your skin changed color according to your mood? If you were extremely excited your skin would turn green, and if you were angry you'd turn red, obviously, and if you felt like shiitake you'd turn brown, and if you were blue you'd turn blue.
Everyone could know what everyone else felt, and we could be more careful with each other, because you'd never want to tell a person whose skin was purple that you're angry at her for being late, just like you would want to pat a pink person on the back and tell him, "Congratulations!"
Another reason it would be a good invention is that there are so many times when you know you're feeling a lot of something, but you don't know what the something is. Am I frustrated? Am I actually just panicky? And that confusion changes your mood, it becomes your mood and you become a confused, gray person. But with the special water, you could look at your orange hands and think, "I'm happy! That whole time I was actually happy! What a relief!"

Manhattan: Where the crazies roam...

When you wait for the trains, you usually don't have much to do. You could listen to your ipod or read a book, or sometimes you just stare at the tracks. There's the third rail. I guess you fry when you touch it. There's some rats every once in awhile. I know that it sounds naive of me but, I think they're so darn cute. And then there's the batteries. Have I mentioned this before? I just can't get over it. Piles of batteries. Mostly double A. From years and years ago. 1970's batteries. Everywhere.
Also, right now, there's posters everywhere for a new horror film, Silent Hill. The poster is big, like 3x4'. It's a picture of a creepy little girl with no mouth. Sort of grey eyes. And then it says, "SILENT HILL" in dripping letters. Well. I think that these posters are making the crazy people go totally nutty. On every posters there is some evidence of a crazy person totally loosing their shit on it. Words that some nutjob wrote upside down by scratching the poster with an old pen. I saw one last night with a mouth drawn on the girl's face with lipstick. These posters are reeking havoc on the crazy people world! Lots of the eyes are messed with. Colored in, x'ed out, food on them. Lots of thought bubbles drawn on the posters. "Leave me alone!", "I set you free", "Set me free!" , "War is published on the masses of colors that forget where you set down the masses within their own hell that reaches past the glowing tubes of forgiveness where my mother dwells."

I love crazy people. Ben is right: New York City is the center of the crazy people's universe. Dig it.

I'm still here!

I went to an excellent interview yesterday but I keep talking about it. I'll jinx it. But, believe me, it's really been the only interesting thing I've had to say for the last 24 hours.
It's been too too cute around here. 70 to 80 degrees. Lots of Asian babies with big hair, ect. NYC is cute cute cute in the spring time.
I've been having a hard time getting my nia life started out here. Back in Seattle, I was so spoiled. I could do nia at Dance Underground 7 days a week with wonderful teachers and I didn't have to join a gym. That's a "no go" around these parts. You have to join a gym ($400) and even then you get to do it 3 times a week tops. I went to a fitness collective on Park Slope in Brooklyn to do nia the other day. HORRIBLE. Bad teacher, small room, dumb. It sucked. Long story short though, I went to the YMCA today and took a great class. I wanted to move a little faster but the teacher was great. A black belt! (This is a big deal. I don't think I've taken a class with a black belt before). Anyway, she told me about a free class at a higher level this Sunday. I'm there.
I ate too much.
Daniel got food poisoning from bad sushi and pooped his bed.
Tim got a job as the security guard at Catherine Malandrino and had to wear a funny outfit. It was incredibly gay in a very bad European way. White linen pants. Tight ones. I will never stop teasing him. EVER.
Dan and I saw a woman making balloon animals on the A train today. It was the most erotic thing ever. Dan and I were both uncomfortable. Not that she meant it to be. I think she made a teddy bear and a koala bear. It was perverted. Why didn't I take a picture???

grateful for
1. Public Libraries
2. Interviews
3. Laure!
4. That I don't have food poisoning right now.

Maah Sighting

I was sooo just in the elevator with my UPS man, Maah North. SWEEEEEEET.

A Perfect Nerd

Daniel gets a bunch of tickets from NYU. He took me to go see a show last night called "A Perfect Wedding." It was really wonderful. So refreshing to see theater, so well thought out, so exalted and relevant. It really cemented my belief that theater is the best storytelling out there. The most touching. Yay for great theater! Great stories! Great actors! It's a gift to the world!
I'm a theater nerd. That whole speech pretty much outed me.

The Alarmist

Yesterday was my day of alarms. I went out to lunch with Daniel and by the time I got back... The apartment next door, or downstairs - but somewhere near- had some type of alarm going off. For hours. I'm sitting at my laptop, trying to work on my resume and it's like, 'Beep, beep, beeeeeep" every 5 seconds. Seriously. Five seconds. I timed it.
So I call Vonia. "MAKE THE BEEPING END." She thinks it's the carbon monoxide alarm in the apartment next door. Then I proceed to freak out over what that actually means. I even called Ben to see if carbon monoxide was a gas that rises or falls (just in case it's one of those rising gases, it's downstairs and it's floating up to come kill me.) I opened the window. I checked myself dementia every twenty minutes.
"Betsy, do you feel like passing out?"
"Is that feeling margarita from lunch or the killer carbon monoxide??"
The alarm went off for over 5 hours. Someone came to turn off the alarm right after Vonia got home. I still hear the beeping in my head. I make up songs to it. I can't write them down here but they exist. They just don't translate to the computer screen. Maybe that monoxide DID get to me...
We went over to Vonia's friend Patrick's apartment last night. Everyone was wearing white. Of course I was in black. I didn't get the "wear white" memo apparently. First of all, Patrick's apartment is a 6 floor walk up. *&^*&^&$#??? Who can stand that?? I'm not out of shape and that fucker almost killed me. Like climbing Kilimanjaro to get up there.
Patrick has a bunch of friends who are adorably insane like yours truly. I had a great time. Patrick is a novelist and recently wrote a book about Matthew shepherd's (Matthew was killed in a horrific hate crime while he was attending the University of Wyoming. He was a theater student there and I know several people who knew him.) best friend, who was responsible for much of the press coverage of his death. We had a great conversation. He also has a picture of himself and Sarah Jessica Parker on his fridge. She has great skin. Just sayin.
We set off an alarm when we tried to go on the roof of the apartment building. Oops. This horrible alarm went of the entire time we were there. Patrick's neighbors must hate him. You could even hear it from the street. And we were there for at least 3 hours. It sounded like a smoke alarm. Double oops.
I also met a girl who works for MTV and I'm going to send her my resume today. Apparently, they have a small pool of people to temp. Throughout the company (MTV, VH1, Nicholodeon) That sounds like fun to me. Plus, she said you can wear whatever you damn well please. Some people look for jobs where they can take long lunch breaks, have paid vacations, bring their dog to work, ect. I look for the job that lets me dress how I want to dress. I think it says something about the creativity level and the atmosphere of the office. And I want to re-pierce my nose. So sue me. A little weirdness goes a long way with me.
I'm also madly applying for a lot of office jobs within the film world. Post production houses, casting agencies, ect. I hate looking for jobs. But I love the interview. I love auditioning. Just get me in the door and I'll get the job.
Vonia also took me to Mood a few days ago. It was the end all, be all, of fabric stores. So many colors, so many fabrics. For those who know me well, they will recognize that this was pivotal for me. Everyday New York City reminds me why I want to be here.

Mac and Cheese: Girl Detectives

Made as a response to
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=64753099
Check it out and this will all make sense!
And here we are... http://www.myspace.com/macandcheesedetectives

SOHO Tuesday

I really didn't go out today. I stayed home and worked on my resume. My poor resume - it needed such help. Around 5 I wondered down to Vonia's work in SOHO so I could use the extra disk drive on her work computer. They were filming Law and Order across the street and I almost too an orange off the kraft service table but wussed out. Got some good pics though. I'll put the ole' headshot up too for shits and giggles..

Turtles, Tim and Green Tea

Tim and I went to the park today. Eww! Eww! Wait. Let me start at the beginning.
I had a date with Maah North today. He's my UPS man. So when he showed, carrying a box full of ...oh... EVERY PIECE OF CLOTHING I OWN. It was Christmas morning.. Again. Cause Christmas morning happened the other day when Maah brought my laptop too. (I'm wondering now if someday my UPS guy is going to google his name, find it here and then sue me. Just wonderin. Hope not.)
After freaking out and trying on 35 outfits - I realized that I had taken 3 celebrex. My mother is going to kill me when she reads this so...
NOTE TO MOM: It was an accident and I'm fine and it actually makes for a funny story so hang in there. And that was a run on sentence so if you're gonna be mad, be mad about my poor editing.
And we're back! You guys know what Celebrex is don't you? It's a prescription pain killer. I take them because I have monster cramps. Monster, Godzilla cramps sent from the devil. I tell myself that I take the pain killers so the cramps go away. But truth be told, they never go away (when they are visiting). They are a nasty, horrid strain of cramps that are immune to pills. But the pain killers help me not to care. (this is where it helps the story to picture me wearing a kimono, one high heel, and an empty martini glass... "You're shtopid, go da shtaking of da pillshhh.."
So I'm on the downtown A train, and I'm hanging onto the poll and I think - really super calmly - "Well now. I just might pass out." But, I'm fine with it. I'm like, smiling and thinking, "O.k. No biggie. Overdosed on pain pillsssssss...."
I get off the train and realize how hungry I am. I make a bee line to Starbucks and buy one of those giganto green tea frappacinos. After bopping across the street and dodging a guy who wants to know who cuts my hair(!!!), I sit down and begin to sip my drink.
The sugar makes me feel normal. I wipe the cold sweat off my lip. Tim comes to join me and I warn him: Just for fun! I might have taken too many pills! (it's like spending the day with Liza Minelli I imagine.)
We had a great day though. I DID successfully dodge the "Overdose Bullet" by the way. And no, the cramps never go away.
Favorite parts of today:
1. TURTLES. Turtles in the pond in Central Park and they were playing bumper turtles in the water. Tim and I imagine what it looks like inside the turtles' shells. Also we fantasize about what it looks like inside Oscar the Grouch's garbage can. Later, when I get home tonight I ask Adam if I can have a turtle. He tells me there is a "Turtle Rule." (The turtle rule is the same as the "duck rule" where I announced I wanted to bring home a duck and he announced that he would eat it.)
2. There were all these Japanese (we think??) brides getting their pictures taken in the park.
3. We saw a bunch of kids running up a hill. They lined up at the bottom of the hill and did the "ready! Set? Go!!" thing and then sprinted up the hill. But there was one kid. Oh no. The fat kid. He was doomed from the beginning. He was dyin. It took him a full minute longer than the rest of the kids. Oh my. Poor thing. Cause who sprints uphill for fun? What kind of sadistic kids do that??
4. Tim and I had an all around wonderful day - we're really very alike. We also drank lots of green tea all day.

Amazing things:
1. Fat kid
2. Shocker stop signs
3. Admitting that I watched Sesame Street until 15. THERE! I admit it! The freedom!
4. Seeing Trump Tower. And then being totally underwhelmed by Trump Tower.

Grateful For:
1. Tim!
2. Spring time/ Central Park
3. Little cafes
4. Rediscovering great music
5. The fact that my body allows me to walk around Manhattan all day with nothing to hold me back. Not everyone who wants to can and I'm grateful I can.

Meeting Miss Ostatazim

I was supposed to go see "Children of a Lesser God" with my friend Sheila today. She got me comp tickets and everything. I didn't find that out until 2 today. Why?? WHY?! You may wonder why. The answer: I didn't wake up until 2 pm today. I don't have a good reason other than...jet lag? Can I still claim jet lag after two weeks? So I totally missed the deaf kids show.
After making coffee, taking a shower and being upset about missing the deaf kids' show the whole time - I got my shit together. I got on the D train, met Tim and Murph down on Broadway, we got more coffee (Adam too). Sheila called and decided to meet up with us after the show. Apparently she was not as miffed about my not coming to Kids of a lesser god than I was.
I saw her a block away and called "Sheila!!!!!!!!!!" as she walked towards us. Setup: Sheila and I went to college together until she decided to move to NYC. That was 5 or 6 years ago now. Last time I saw her I was at Burning Man, in the middle of the desert, in the MIDDLE of the night and there was Sheila. Until today.
We had a great time tonight. Vonia and Dan came to join us. We all drank beer and the night was warm and wonderful. A sign of spring.
I'm home now and I"m tired. And I don't know why I'm still writing.

Promise to myself: No more sleeping in until 2pm. Life is happening and you are sleeping through it Betsy! You missed the deaf kids' show!!

AMAZING THINGS FROM TODAY:
1. The fake premature baby picture on the subway
2. Vonia is a wonderful liar. "That's where they filmed Cinderella Man! That's Matthew Perry's brother! I'm lying!"
3. I smell burning. Seriously. right now. Burning.

Sweet Computer Lovin

This morning was just like christmas morning. I awoke to the buzzer buzzing away in the kitchen. When I realized it was the intercom, I jumped up - heart thumping because I was a bit startled - and buzzed the UPS guy in. I took the time it took him to ride up 7 floors in the elevator to get the boogers out of my eyes and start a fight with my hair. I opened the door and there it was! My new computer.
I'm telling you I tore that box apart like it was 1986 and I was getting a Teddy Ruckspin.
She's a beauty. I mean, I've never had a nicer computer in my life. I L O V E it. That's all. That's all that happened today. A lot of sweet computer lovin.
Last night I spoke with Sheila, a friend of mine from college. She's a full, time, workin actor. What a lovely life that must be! I adore Sheila and would love to work with her again. I remember her as a deeply talented chick - great competition i college. Always gave me a run for my money. I guess that's what I really missed in Seattle. People who challenge you. Not that I didn't meet any of them. I'm not saying that. Just not a lot of friendly competition. (Shoo Shoo, you know you're better than me so you don't count.)


Amazing things I saw today:
1. A teenager with a simpson's yarmuka on the downtown A train.
2. A casting call for a short film called, "Caught Off Tard"

Pictures of the apartment and our guns

O.k. Let's be fair. The guns are fake.

Tai

It snowed here this morning. How bizarre. 68 degrees one day, snowy, slushy mess the next. More imporant things to talk about though.

I wrote an entire entry this morning and some how erased it. I have no idea how I did it but I did. I wrote it and then it was gone. I'll try to recreate some of it but rewrite some too.

Went to dan's for dinner last night. I was tired of being cooped up in the apartment waiting for that stupid UPS guy. I went to Brooklyn and we had a nice dinner. Dan (Michael, Tonya, and Tim too) have a girl staying with them named Tai. Tai is from Australia by way of London, is now in New York and leaves for San Diego tomorrow morning. Anyway, we are two peas in a pod. Really very alike, and we've been having a wonderful time hangin out for the last two days. I really hate to see her go. I would love love love for her to stay here in NYC so we could go on great adventures together. Even though we've only known eachother for a little while I feel like I've known her for years. Earlier this morning, when I was writing my first blog entry, Tai was sitting across from me at the table, sewing a hole in one of her shirts. It felt like we were little old sisters. I could just picture us with buns in our hair, sitting side by side on the porch watching the sun go down. Cats on our lap.
I'm allergic to cats though. No one has a porch that I know of really ... actually I think I also pictured us in a western. You know, set around the gold rush. So forget that idea.
Anyway, long story short; I'm glad we've met and I will stay in touch with her. Get her to move back here and get a visa so we can take over the world.

Side note: we also went to a creepy (dodgey as Tai says) German cafe for breakfast this morning. There was this SUPER weird clown figurine there and I took a picture of it. I'll put the pic up here when I get my laptop tomorrow...

Even Shitty Shoes Can't Slow Me Down

tonight is the first night I haven't gone out since I've been here. Generally, I wake up and set out on an adventure. Most of the time I'm with friends but sometimes I just pick a place to get off the subway and walk around. So far, I really like NoLita. Had a great time in the Village today. We wanted to go to the Met but there was this giant "greek day" parade. Greeks for miles. Miles of Unibrows. Kids waving Grecian flags and hitting you in the crotch with them. We decided not to fight the Greeks (we assumed that the actual parade route went right up to the Met) and went to the village. We walked around for a few hours, watched the dogs and crazy people in Union Square, ate dinner in a sidewalk restaurant and came home. I wore flip flops and my feet are tired. Mostly, I'm aware of how shitty my shoe selection is. All I have are heels! I need a couple pairs of comfy shoes - how far I would go if I had comfy shoes! Nothing really slows me down but I'd rather do a large amount of walking in cushy shoes than a large amount of walking in these ones.
Adam and I ran into my friend Murph today. So maybe that whole "look for Nicki Scott" thing is true (aka this is actually a very small island).
Vonia is in LA until Thursday so I may get a little lonely but I think I'll be fine. I'm surprised how many friends I have out here. I'm looking forward to getting a job - my friend Angela is going to get me an interview at Rocawear (Jay Z's clothing label.) That would be a wonderful job for me. In a way, it's been good for me not to have my computer because I can't look for a job. I'm forced to play and explore everyday. That is actually something I wouldn't normally feel comfortable doing. I'm not actually sure if it's comfortable but it's not like I'm not enjoying myself either. I'm getting to know the city and I really like it. I really love it. I'm really happy

Just Like Showing Your Vagina

It is getting hot here in NYC. The days have been in the late 60's early 70 degree range since I got here. It's warm at night too. I love the sunshine!
I went out with vonia, Adam, Murph, Angela and Brett last night. It was good to see Angela and Brett - it's been years since we last hung out. I think when Brett played Knickie to my Rizzo in Grease our Senior year of college.
We went to the bar that Mulberry Street was shot in and around. Mulberry Street is a movie that was made by a bunch of people I know, including my roommates, Adam and Vonia.
The bar was full of people, dancing, talking and watching the giant movie projected on a screen that was also the back wall of the bar. People lined up out on the street to talk and smoke. It was warm outside long into the night. I was out until 3:30ish and then went back to Brooklyn with Daniel who joined us after he was done with his homework (around 1?). I tried to make mac and cheese but ended up making a sort of soup/noodle combo. Too much milk. My bad.
I spent today with murph. We went to breakfast with Brett and Angela, saw their newly painted apartment and their cat that sits on command like a puppy.
On the subway back to Harlem there was a woman, dressed head to toe (including really large hat) in red and leopard print. she was totally bonkers and walked back and forth across the train giving speeches and singing opera. Girlfriend had lost her shit. She wagged her fingers at me for wearing a short skirt (AHHHHHHH!!!!!! IT"S JUST LIKE SHOWING YOUR VAGINA!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!) Her opera was amazing also, really short, weird stacato notes and low, drawn out gutteral huffs. Sounded simply wonderful with steve Perry's voice on my ipod.
My computer will be here next Thursday. Then the pictures and daily (ish) posts will begin. I'll be soooo happy to have a laptop again. Any computer. It's weird. Like not having a brain. It has been a reason to NOT look for jobs though. I think that may actually be good for me. Forcing me to relax and explore a bit more. still...